Air duct plaster register frame



June 1, 1954 M. v. FROELICH ET AL 2,679,796

AIR DUCT PL ASTER REGISTER FRAME Filed Aug. 26, 1952 INVENTORS MAX iv.FROELIGH HERBERT s. DRAPER A ORNEY Patented June 1, 1954 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE.

AIR DUCT PLASTER REGISTER FRAME Max VernonFroelich and Herbert EarlDraper,

Louisville, Ky.

Application August 26, 1952, Serial No. 306,348-

3 Claims. 1:

The present invention relates to improvements in an air duct plasterregister framev and has for an object the provision of a device of thiskind which permits of the complete installation of the stackhead or box,the frame andthe register at one operation before the plastering is doneso that the mechanic doing this work does not have to first set the boxand then return to complete the job after the plasterers have. finishedtheir work.

Another object of the :present invention is to provide an improved framestructure which affords a positive connection between the studding andthe stackhead or box.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improvedvdevice of this character in which a guide line is providedfortheplasterers to follow so that when the frame is used in a baseboardinstallation the proper amount of space will be left by the plasterersoutwardly of the plaster to accommodate the baseboard to assure an eventight fit and so that the register grill may be detachably mounted onthe frame.

In one of its broadest aspects the present invention contemplates theprovision of an, improved air duct plaster register frame comprising asubstantially continuous wall defining a register receiving space, meansfor attaching said wall to the free end portions of a stackhead of awarm air heating system, means for securing said wall to the studding ofa building in which the heating system is installed, and means forattaching the register to the wall.

More specifically the present invention contemplates the provision of animproved air duct plaster register frame comprising two pairs of opposedinner walls, two pairs of outer walls cooperating with the inner wallsto provide a space for receiving the free end portions of a stackhead ofa warm air heating system, two pairs of front walls connecting theforward ends of said inner and outer walls, and a flange extendingoutwardly from the rear end of each outer wall, fastening means forsecuring the free end portions of the stackhead to one pair of saidinner walls, fastening means for securing said flanges to the studdingof a building in which the heating system is installed, said inner wallsdefining a register receiving opening, and fastening means fordetachably securing the register to one pair of said front walls and insaid opening, one pair of said outer wallsand atleast one wall of theother pair of outer walls having a guide line thereon intermediate theforward and rear ends thereof to provide a guide for theappli's cationof plaster.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will behereinafter more fullyrdee scribed and more particularly pointed outinthe appended claims.

In the drawings, in which-the same parts are denoted by the samereference-numerals throughventional type to which the frame is applied,and I C a conventional type register or grill=which is attached to theframe.

The frame A comprises a pair of'opposed inner end walls l0, opposedinner top and bottom walls I I and l2, 2. pair of outer end walls 13,top outer wall It, bottom outer wall I5, front end walls 16, top frontwall 11, bottom front wall I 8, end flanges l9, topfiange 2G and bottomflange 21; Thecorresponding inner and outer walls of the frame aredisposed in spaced apart substantially parallel relationto providespaces 22 therebetween for the reception of the free end portions 23 ofthe walls 24 of the box B.

The inner end walls l0 and the free endportions' 23 of the end walls ofthe box B maybe provided with aligned screw threaded openings 25*for thereception of fastening means, such-as screws 26 for securing the frame Ato the box B. The free end portion of the front wall 24 of the box B maybe secured to the innerbottom wall l2 of the frame by spot welding orthe like and the extreme free end part Zlof the top wall 24; of the boxB may be bent upwardly andsecured to the inner face of the top frontwall I! by welding or the like. Ihe front wall 24 may be secured to theflange 2| of the frame by welding or the like.

The outer walls extend rearwardly a greater distance than the innerwalls and the flanges I9, 20 and 2! extend outwardly from the rear edgesofthe outer walls at substantially right angles thereto. The flanges 19may be provided with holes ,28; for the reception of fastening elements,4

such as nails 29 by which the frame A may be securedto studding 30.

The outer walls l3 and I4 have a substantial depth and the walls [3 aredivided by a guide line 3| into a rear plaster receiving area l3a and aforward baseboard receiving area [31) and the wall [4 is divided by aguide line 32 into a rear plaster receiving area Ma and a forwardbaseboard receiving area Mb. The guide lines 3| and 32 are disposedsubstantially midway between the forward and rear edges of theirrespective walls so that the areas defined thereby are of substantiallythe same depth. Intermediate their ends the front end walls may beprovided with screw threaded openings 33 and the end walls 34 of theregister C may have openings 35.

The inner walls of the frame A define a space 36 for receiving theregister C. When the register C is positioned within the space 36 theend walls 34 of the register will engage the front end walls 3 of theframe A and the top wall 31 and the bottom wall 38 of the register willengage the top front and the bottom front walls I! and [8 of the frameA. At that time the openings 33 and '35 will be in registry to receivefastening elements, such as screws 39 by which the register will bedetachably secured to the frame A. A rubber gasket 40 may be disposedbetween the front walls of the frame A and the walls of the register Cto set up a gas tight joint therebetween. 6

In the use of the device, assuming that the box B has been installed inthe conventional or in any other suitable manner, the frame A will beslipped over the free end portions 23 of the walls 24 of the box B sothat the free end portions 23 are received by the spaces 22 and engagethe outer faces of the inner walls. The frame A will be secured to thebox B by the screws 26 and by welding as described above. The frame willthen be secured to the studding 30 by the fastening elements 29 and theregister C will then be se- -cured in place on the frame as describedabove.

The plaster areas l3a and Ma of the outer walls I3 and M are ofsufficient depth to accommodate laths 4| and plaster 42. The areas [31)and I 4b are of sufficient depth to accommodate the baseboard 43 so thatthe outer face of the baseboard lies inwardly of the outer faces of thewalls of the register and the front walls of the frame to facilitate themounting and dismounting of the register C. The lines 3i and 32 willserve as guides to the plasterers so that the outer face of the plasterwill line up with the guide lines 3! and 32 and will not extendoutwardly therebeyond to provide a neat even surface of plaster and toleave room for the baseboards.

It will be noted that with the use of this improved frame, the completeinstallation of the box, the frame and the register can be accomplishedat one time without the necessity of the workman returning after theplasterers have done their part of the job. The frame with the nails 29and screws 26 serves as a positive securing means for permanentlysecuring the box to the studding and the plaster 42 will cover the headsof the nails 29 and engage the flanges of the frame to aid in securingthe frame in proper position.

The guide lines 3| and 32 may be made in any suitable manner as by awriting implement or by indentation of the material from which the frameis made. The frame may be made of any suitable material, such as coldrolled steel and may be made in one piece or in sections. The registerscome in sizes, 6 x 8, 6 x 10, 6 x 12, 6 x 14, and 6 x 30. In the 6 x 12and 6 x 14 size, the frame will span the sixteen inch center studs. Onthe other sizes, all sheet metal workers have 8 slides or pocket slides,which are simply tightly crimped pieces of metal which slide overanother metal edge and form an extension. These 8 slides can be afiixedto the top edge of the frame and the S slide nailed to the studding.

It is apparent from the above that the present invention contemplatesthe provision of an improved air duct plaster register frame comprisingtwo pairs of opposed inner walls, two pairs of outer walls spaced fromand substantially parallel to the corresponding inner walls to providespaces for receiving the free end portions of the Walls of a box of awarm air heating system, two pairs of front walls connecting the forwardends of said walls, and a flange extending outwardly from the rear edgeof each outer wall, fastening means for securing the free end portionsof the box to said inner walls, fastening means for securing saidflanges to the studding of a building in which the heating system isinstalled, said inner walls defining a grill receiving opening;fastening means for securing the grill to said frame and within saidopening, and a guide line formed on one pair of said outer walls and onat least one wall of the other pair of outer walls intermediate theforward and rear edges thereof to provide a guide for the application ofplaster and to divide each lined wall into plaster and baseboardreceiving areas.

It is obvious that various modifications may be made in the details ofconstruction and design of the above specifically described embodimentof this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, suchmodifications being restricted only by the scope of the followingclaims.

What we claim is:

1. In combination a box of a warm air heating system having wallsprovided with free end portions, a register having end walls, anintegral frame comprising two pairs of opposed inner walls, two pairs ofouter walls spaced from and substantially parallel to the correspondinginner walls to provide spaces receiving the free end portions of the boxwalls, two pairs of front walls connecting the forward ends of the innerand outer walls, and a flange extending outwardly from the rear edge ofeach outer wall, the free end portions of the box walls and one pair ofsaid inner frame walls having aligned screw threaded openings therein,fastening elements received by said openings, the flanges of one pair ofouter frame walls having holes therethrough, fastening elementsextending through said holes and adapted to enter studding of thebuilding in which the heating system is installed, the end walls of theregister and one pair of front frame walls having aligned openings,fastening elements received by said aligned openings in the register andfront frame walls for securing the register to the frame, and a guideindentation formed on one pair of said outer walls and on at least onewall of the other pair of outer walls intermediate the forward and rearedges thereof to provide a guide for the application of plaster and todivide each indented wall into plaster and baseboard receiving areas.

2. In combination a box of a warm air heating system having wallsprovided with free end portions, a register having end walls, anintegral frame comprising two pairs of opposed inner walls, two pairs ofouter walls spaced from and substantially parallel to the correspondinginner walls to provide spaces receiving the free end portions of the boxwalls, two pairs of front walls connecting the forward ends of the innerand outer walls, and a flange extending outwardly from the rear edge ofeach outer wall, the free end portions of the box walls and one pair ofsaid inner frame walls having aligned screw threaded openings therein,fastening elements received by said openings, the flanges of one pair ofouter frame walls having holes therethrough, fastening elementsextending through said holes and adapted to enter studding of thebuilding in which the heating system is installed, the end walls of theregister seating directly upon the front walls of the frame, the endwalls of the register and one pair or" front frame walls having alignedopenings, fastening elements received by said aligned openings in theregister and front frame walls for securing the register to the frame,and a guide indentation formed on one pair of said outer walls and on atleast one wall of the other pair of outer walls intermediate the forwardand rear edges thereof to provide a guide for the application of plasterand to divide each indented wall into plaster and baseboard receivingareas, said flanges and said outer walls being disposed at substantiallyright angles to one another and said outer walls being straight and flatto provide seats in said areas for the adjacent ends of the plaster andbaseboard.

3. For use with a box of a warm air heating system of a building havingwalls provided with free end portions having screw threaded openingstherein and a register having end walls provided with openings, anintegral frame comprising two pairs of opposed inner walls, two pairs ofouter walls spaced from and substantially parallel to the correspondinginner walls to provide spaces adapted to receive the free end portionsof the box walls, two pairs of front walls connecting the forward endsof the inner and outer walls, and a flange extending outwardly from therear edge of each outer wall, one pair of said inner frame walls havingscrew threaded openings therein adapted to be aligned with the threadedopenings in the corresponding box walls, fastening elements forreception by said openings, the flanges of one pair of outer frame wallshaving holes therethrough, fastening elements extending through saidholes and adapted to enter studding of the building in which the heatingsystem is installed, the end walls of the register adapted to seatdirectly upon the front frame walls, one pair of front frame wallshaving openings adapted to align with the openings in the register endwalls, fastening elements for reception by said aligned openings in theregister and front frame walls for securing the register to the frame,and a guide indentation formed on one pair of said outer walls and on atleast one Wall of the other pair of outer walls intermediate the forwardand rear edges thereof to provide a guide for the application of plasterand to divide each indented wall into plaster and baseboard receivingareas and to receive some of the plaster to form an interlock betweensaid indented walls and plaster, said areas being fiat and noninclinedto form seats for the flat ends of the plaster and baseboard.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,567,089 Symonds Dec. 29, 1925 1,959,132 Jones May 15, 19342,104,208 Oltrogge Jan. 4. 1938

